Thursday, January 31, 2013

Today was the second day back at work for we teachers, and I think that tonight I've hit the wall with the exhaustion of it all. It has been an exciting time so far, but also a bit on the frustrating side. We're all feeling very motivated and have been inspired to think of great things we would like to establish in our classrooms this year, but we haven't got far past the inspiration. And I fear that if I don't start making sense of it all and get some plans into place, the momentum of the school year will soon trample my enthusiasm.

Yesterday we spent some time looking at the Australian Curriculum and how we will use it to plan, teach, assess and report learning this year. We had a quick look at the English and Maths curriculum and considered a bit of the scope and sequence and some key concepts we plan to teach. At the end of the day I felt more confident about using the Australian Curriculum and had a better understanding of the structure - particularly in English.

Today we worked with Sylvia Guidara, who excited us about the possibilities when using online resources with students. Unfortunately when it came to trying some of these out, we came up against the typical computer issues we face in the classroom - sign-ups not working, slow wi-fi, subscription services, and ethical questions. Not to mention the challenge of exploring a new resource to determine it's usability across the school. By the end of the day I was feeling a bit frustrated and remembered why I have avoided some of these resources in the past. Hopefully with a good night's sleep and a freshened up mind, I will be ready to think through the next steps to making the most of the resources Sylvia shared.

On the brighter side, I have been very excited about the iDoceo iPad app as a Classroom Organiser for this year. At the end of last year I wrote about how I was searching for an app that would "do it all." While I am still just testing it out, this app appears to be just what I have been looking for. Once I've tested it out properly with real students, I will write a more detailed review.

Welcome

About Me

I am currently teaching a Year 1 class. I love what I do and the kids I teach. I am easily inspired and love to find ways to improve learning for my students using a variety of strategies and ideas. My goal is to remain a flexible teacher, taking on board the new things I learn and modifying my practices as necessary.
I hope that I can motivate and inspire others in this same endeavour.
Twitter: pennyryder
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